Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 10 February 2022
165. Deputy Richard Bruton asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine the proportion of agricultural output on which processors pay a premium for its environmentally sound production standards. [6834/22]
View answerMy Department tracks and reports on prices for commodities on the basis of current price reporting legislation. Bonuses paid by processors for meeting sustainability or any other commercially agreed criteria are not recorded by my Department as they are outside of the scope of the Department’s data collection and reporting remit.
However, depending on the sector, there may be bonuses payable as part of individual commercial arrangements and membership of a Bord Bia Sustainable Quality Assurance schemes may be one of the conditions.
Origin Green, the Bord Bia sustainability programme, operates at national level and includes farmers and primary producers, processors and retailers, working together. The sustainable quality assurance structure assists Bord Bia to market Irish product abroad; it gives assurance to customers as to provenance and how the product is produced including the steps at farm level.
There are a range of industry led bonus schemes in both the meat and dairy sectors. Such schemes are commercial matters between buyers and their supplier but are generally developed to help to drive efficiency and sustainability, and provide price certainty to farmers to help mitigate against market volatility. It is important that such incentive schemes are industry led to provide the best foundation for their success.
Food Vision 2030, the new stakeholder-led strategy for the Irish agri-food sector, was launched last year. Its vision is that Ireland will become a world leader in ‘Sustainable Food Systems’ over the next decade. This will deliver significant benefits for the Irish agri-food sector itself, for Irish society and the environment. In demonstrating the Irish agri-food sector meets the highest standards of sustainability – economic, environmental, and social – this will also provide the basis for the future competitive advantage of the sector.
